Religion, like every other human institution, has always had its bad apples. Goa's Bishop Raul Gonsalves is one.

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india today digital

February 18, 2014

ISSUE DATE: December 15, 1979

UPDATED: January 29, 2015 14:57 IST

Goan women defy church: a bishop's wish

Religion, like every other human institution, has always had its bad apples. Goa's Bishop Raul Gonsalves is one. Keeping step with the increasing commercialism, he wants to demolish a Roman Catholic working girls' hostel in Panaji so that a multi-storeyed commercial complex may be built in its place. What will happen to the 30 residents who have nowhere to go does not seem to concern him.

The girls, who have refused to vacate the premises, are being subjected to severe harassment. One of them, was allegedly beaten up by a priest and his three burly women sycophants last month. The kitchen has been closed, supply of drinking water has been stopped and sweepers are disallowed to clean the bathrooms. The rest of the Catholic community dare not come forward to help the distressed girls as they fear the wrath of the bishop. A group of students who offered to help the girls were threatened with ex-communication.

The Lieutenant Governor of Goa tried to intervene on behalf of the girls but backed out after the bishop sent a petition, signed by some Catholics in Goa, saying that the internal matters of a minority community were being interfered with. The 150-year-old premises in question, the Institute de Nossa, Senhora da Piedade, are owned by the church on the condition that a boarding school and a school for domestic science be run on it. The Government is entitled to take charge of the building against a year's notice but the Panaji municipality has been looking the other way as the bishop proceeds with his plans for its demolition.

The girls are determined in their fight against what one resident calls, "a domineering, ruthless and entrenched church authority". "We will live here until we are physically thrown out," they say.

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